Chapter 2: Reflection and Preparation

Careful Planning

(Sasha's POV)

This darkness is familiar, but I don't feel no stabbing pain, no whisper of a farewell. The abyss is calm, peaceful even…

I did it…just like you, momma…It took me a little longer, but…I did it…just like you did for daddy. And daddy…are you proud of me? Did you see me…from Lord Leviathan's ocean of stars?

He saw you, Sasha.

Waves…? Her voice as always is a pleasant unfathomable alto.

Yes, it is I. Your strength and conviction is undoubtedly amazing…but you can become even stronger. Your fear and hesitation must be entirely removed from your soul. You know what you must accept in order to unlock a new power.

My fear and hesitation must be removed completely…? Am I not supposed to be human…? Accept pain, suffering, and ultimately death….I can't deal with this right now. Sensei Wu…if only you were here…I could really use your wisdom and guidance.

…Waves, why do I feel so sick? I feel like I have to-!?

I awaken with a jolt of pain and nausea. I turn my head to the side and vomit a mixture of blood, water, and regrettably my lunch. The disgusting aftermath floats atop of the waves then disappears from view. The taste in my mouth is sickening as I cough and pant.

"Oh, thank Shiva. Hold on Sasha, we are almost at the Bounty."

"Master Sasha, thank the seas you are alright."

Zane…Nagendra…

I try to speak, but only end up coughing and gasping hoarsely. Zane's wet gloved hand touches my face.

"Don't strain yourself. I found you right after you lost consciousness. We made it back to the surface safely thanks to Nagendra. She had to kill twelve sharks to protect us while I carried you. From a medical scan it appears your regurgitation has dispelled all the blood and sea water from your stomach, but unfortunately the laceration on your left cheek is still hemorrhaging profusely. It doesn't look too deep, however because there are so many blood vessels in the human face, it's only natural that you would bleed so heavily."

That's when I finally register the pain emitting from my face. Damn…I shake my head miserably to clear it except another wave of nausea along with dizziness hits me. I groan and roll over to face the other direction only to come face to face with the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life. The amorilla…Its white eyes blank and dead and its mouth slightly agape, ugly yet beautiful at the same time all because of those exquisite ivory fangs which belong to me now and soon they will belong to Cole.

I smile and weakly lift a hand to slap the damn beast. The miserable cretin caused me far too much grief, but…it has definitely been worth it.

Everything is—wait…Cole…Cole!

I struggle to sit up and Zane takes a hold of my shoulders to support me. When I attempt to speak again, my voice sounds cracked and horrible.

"Zane, Cole can't see me like this! He can't! I need Ayane to heal me!" I get out desperately and although I know my breath must be rancid, Zane keeps a straight face.

His brow furrows in confusion, "I don't understand. Why can't he see you? Your injuries are not dire, so Ayane should not have to heal you."

"Because…" I grip Zane's arms for leverage and try to fight through the pounding headache that has begun to surface at my temples. "Because that's what the majority of our argument stemmed from," I lament. "I've always been self-reliant and independent. I can shoulder my own burdens and problems. He doesn't think I'm as strong `as he is and…maybe not physically, but…"

I stop as my mind brings forth a recollection of the past. I had my Bo staff of Waves pressed up against Cole's throat and his back was against the wall. I had such rage. How could he have thought that it was okay to invade someone else's privacy? Then he gave his motive to justify his indefensible behavior.

"What was I supposed to think, Sasha?"

He had his own anger. His emerald-jade eyes were dark in reprimand towards me for not depending on him when I needed to.

"What was I supposed to do when you've already kept something crucial from me? Can you really blame me for worrying, thinking that something else may be wrong?"

You should have more faith in me. You should respect my strength and understand that I am resilient and not weak.

"Don't twist my words, Sasha. You know that is not what I meant."

I've trained hard every single day in both mind and body. I wanted to carry my own weight in battle, to be there for my sisters and also for all of you. I had to push myself, to better myself not only for the team, but I also wanted to relieve some of the pressure off of you by becoming a good leader. However, you made it all for naught, stepping in front of me like I couldn't do anything. I wasn't thankful to you…I loathe you during those moments.

"Sasha…I don't want to lose you. That's why I've been so protective of you."

I want us to be equals, to depend on each other evenly, but…you rarely do that. You keep your arms crossed and your face stonewalled. You've been shouldering responsibility for so long that you've forgotten what it feels like to rely on somebody else. I feel like I'm always trailing behind you…like I'm not on your level. But maybe…in a way…the reason for my wrath…is because you were right.

"No you're not, so don't you dare stand here and lie to me. If you were…you wouldn't be crying…"

I am nowhere near your level. I am still too weak and feeble and I hate it. I am not ready to accept my destiny.

I know my prolonged silence is questioning, but I can't say anything else. Such turbulent emotions are coursing through me, leaving me speechless. Zane's eyes are patient and slightly fretful. Now, I'm beginning to worry him. The anger I feel at myself gives anchor to sadness and I turn away from one of my dearest friends, a friend who had just finished saving my life.

I'm sorry, Zane.

My eyes linger on nothing but the passing waves and I caress the exposure of beautiful aqua scales along Nagendra's slick hide.

"Sasha, I will not pretend to fully understand your reasoning. However, we are each going through our own quarrels with our significant others, so I will not ask any unnecessary questions. I sense the ache in your heart in regards to Cole as it is similar to the ache in my Coronary Circuitry in regards to Ayane."

I turn back to him. His eyes are downcast, but he soon lifts his gaze to mine and gives a rueful smile.

"You and Cole are two of my most trusted friends…Just know that the effort you put into getting this gift for him is equally exerted in how he is striving to mend things with you." He nods, "I will help you, Sasha. I will contact Ayane now."

I move to embrace him and his arms encircle me gently.

"Thank you, Zane…you know, for everything," I whisper and release him. He smiles then cocks an eyebrow.

"You are welcome. One thing though…you may want to consider brushing your teeth once you've made it safely to you and Ayane's quarters."

I instantly cover my mouth and scoot back away from him hastily. When I glare at him, he bursts into laughter and removes his PMS from his belt.

Man, like I really needed to hear that. I know my breath is kickin', thank you!

The long black body of the amorilla catches the edge of my vision and I turn to it once more. The puncture wound under its mandible…my finishing blow. Ugh…just looking at it makes my stomach lurch in discomfort. I've never really had a taste for raw fish, I prefer mine battered and deep fried. Hmm, I really do miss momma's cooking. I try to mimic her style and creativity in the kitchen and everyone always compliments my cooking, but sometimes I'm dissatisfied when certain dishes don't come out tasting just like momma's. I guess every child feels that way…wanting to inherit specific skills from their parents despite being satisfactory in general standards. And Sophia…I wonder how she's doing? From her last letter, she told me she'd won her school's latest swimming competition and that she had a pimple right in the middle of her forehead. I chuckle under my breath. It's been so long since I've seen my family. It's been so long since I've seen Poseidonia…

I swipe at the cut on my face irritably when I feel a rivulet of blood travel down my cheek. How did I even get this? It must've been when the aquatic nightmare tried to take a snap at me. Speaking of which, not only can Cole not see me at the moment, but he can't see the amorilla either. Well, at least not until those teeth are removed and in my possession. But, what can I do? The process of removal is so meticulous and I can't exactly drag the smelly thing back to my room. It'll be way too messy to do it there.

I suddenly notice that something crucial is missing from my person.

Waves!? Waves, where are you!? I ask the spirit and look about Nagendra's back frantically in search of my precious weapon.

Fear not, Sasha. I am currently clutched between the fangs of your adjutant.

Hearing the spirit's mellow voice in my head lifts my anxiety and I breathe a quick sigh of relief.

Thank goodness.

I return my attention to Zane just as he removes his PMS from his ear and reattaches it to his belt.

"Ayane said she just saw Cole and Jay enter the Game Room and that she'd be waiting for us on the deck."

That's good news, but…I peer at Zane's profile carefully. Out of all of us, both Ninja and Kunoichi, the ones who really don't need a mask would be Zane and Ebony. They have mastered stoicism to a perfected art. Not even their eyes portrayed their emotions and my friend's stare at the moment, was out towards the expanse of the Red Sea. I may not be able to conjure up an accurate psychological profile on someone like my sister of darkness can, but I'd like to think that I knew Zane well enough to realize when something was troubling him.

Just how were things going between him and Ayane? I've been indefatigably dealing with my own matters with Cole that I haven't really paid much attention to anything else. That's not to say I don't have ears. I was there after all, in the same room and even in my rage-induced state I heard the saddened words of Ayane and the remorseful words of Zane. The terms "trust and honesty" replay in my mind, important key points in any lasting relationship.

We are each our own person, so we'll go about forgiveness in our own way. I'm really not into meddling in other people's personal affairs, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

"Hey," I begin softly, "how's your own reconciliation with Ayane going?"

He sighs and directs his gaze down to me, his expression remaining unreadable. "Ayane willingly walks into my arms now and just two days ago she told me she had forgiven me."

I smile up at him brightly. "That's great, Zane! You'd think you'd be a little bit happier though…what's wrong?"

"I am, Sasha," he says sincerely but still runs a hand through his damp gravity-defying hair fretfully and continues, "I am glad that Ayane has forgiven me for my nonsensicality. However, communication between us is still…lacking…"

I stay quiet as he settles down next to me. "She has still not mentioned anything about the celebration taking place in Shika next month and I know it commences during the first week of May. Spring is reaching its climax and something is still troubling her…I cannot fathom why she has such reluctance in confiding in me. How can I ease her pain if she refuses to unburden herself?"

I reach for Sophia's Pearl and finger the perfect white sphere. A frown etches its way across my face as I recall what I learned yesterday evening. After dinner, Nya and I remained at the dining room table leafing through a few catalogs for bridesmaids' dresses. She and Jay had announced earlier while everyone was still gathered, that they had decided on a date for their wedding. July 4th. Apparently, they both thought it would be rare and completely ironic to get married on the day when independence was celebrated and coincidently it would be the week after Kai's birthday. Kai thinks they did that on purpose. It was a very joyous occasion and it was especially enjoyable to see Jay back at 100% health and full of energy, but there was also something else in the blue ninja's eyes that I'm sure everyone saw. They'd shown in such clarity and strength, a newfound wisdom of maturity had emerged from his and Nya's reconciliation and all of us were happy for them.

But I digress. We were just narrowing down on a few choices when suddenly my PMS went off. Ebony had texted me and literally demanded for Nya and I to come to her room. I felt a little irritated at the interruption, but I also knew Ebony never communicated needlessly, so I informed Nya and we left to go meet with her…


(Flashback yesterday night…)

When we open the door, we see multiple books open and strewn across Ebony's bed. Our youngest sister was studiously leaning over them while Mydnyte carefully stepped around them to avoid disrupting her owner's concentration.

"Ebony?" I call out, but she keeps her attention on her books.

"Close the door," is her short order and Nya and I comply after entering.

"What's going on? What's all this?" Nya questions next as we come to a halt near the book-littered bed. Ebony gradually peels herself away from her reading and closes one of the books.

"I'm sorry to have called you two here so suddenly, but…there's a problem," she says with soft concern. "I've just finished speaking with Ayane and she revealed a troubling past incident to me that is hindering the progression of her relationship with Zane."

I move one of the books aside and sit down. Nya follows my lead and takes a seat on the opposite side of the bed.

"What is it? Is Ayane okay? She's not crying, is she? You didn't leave her crying, did you?!" I demand hotly.

Okay, granted seeing Ayane cry is not exactly a rarity since everyone knows she's the most sensitive and emotional person on this ship, but I'm talking about depressed tears not happy tears. My sisters and I learned just how sentimental Ayane was when we had a movie marathon a few days ago in the Game Room. It wasn't very difficult to convince the guys to let us occupy the room for a day. Thankfully, all I had to do was announce that we were going to watch a crap ton of Disney Princess movies and they made themselves scarce. It was for educational purposes really, given that neither Ayane nor Ebony knew what a Disney Princess was, while Nya and I grew up watching most of their films. So, I was prepared for the sense of nostalgia they would provide, however I wasn't exactly prepared for finding out that some of the Disney Princess movies were…kind of lame and boring. And Ebony agreed with me. She fell asleep during most of them with the popcorn bowl in her lap, although she did like a few, mainly Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Cinderella, and Mulan. She commented that she didn't give frog's fat ass (something I'm sure she got from Jay) about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, stating that while the dwarves were entertaining enough there was just something stupidly naïve about Snow White. Nya tried to defend the Princess by telling Ebony that Snow White was the youngest of them with only being fourteen, but she just scoffed and said, "That's still an old enough age to express a decent level of common sense. How could one be so trusting to someone so obviously wicked?" Everyone had no choice but to agree with her on that. I guess when you get older and more experienced, some of the magic leaves you and you start to see the world in living color. Nya's favorite Disney Princess movie is Mulan. She told me this a while back and said that there was just something so awe-inspiring about a girl willing to risk her own life to save not only her father, but her entire country and the fact that she was Chinese was a little added bonus. Mine is The Princess and the Frog. Goodness, what can I say? Other than that it was about damn time! I felt like that movie was made for me and every caramel, mocha or chocolate-shaded sister everywhere. I absolutely became enamored with Tiana's character and was inspired by her belief that hard-work could make anyone's dreams come true. No fairy tales needed! Before I left Poseidonia for Ninjago City, I begged momma to take me and Sophia to go see the premiere and she did. It was ground-breaking for my fifteen-year old self and served as the final push I needed to leave home and fulfill my dream in becoming a great performer. Little did I know that Lord Leviathan had other plans for my destiny…I liked some of the other films, but that particular one will always be my favorite.

Ayane however adored all of them. Her eyes were alive and bright with wonder and awe when Genie performed his magic for Aladdin for the first time. She cried silently with Ariel when her father destroyed everything in her precious grotto and cried some more when Gaston stabbed the Beast and killed him and continued to cry even after his resurrection. And don't get me started on the musical numbers! She was bewitched and thoroughly entertained by every single one. I found Ayane simply phenomenal. She was a kunoichi, a well-trained assassin and merciless killer, and yet somehow she still managed to hold onto some of her innocence. As for the rest of us, including the Ninja, we had lost ours completely. After many more animated films such as Finding Nemo, The Lion King and Rise of the Guardians we started to branch out and watch a few action movies and that's when the guys started to trickle back in. It was nice of them to bring drinks for us and there was hardly any tension in the air for me and Ayane, so we allowed them to stay. It was a grand time and we hooted and hollered at the epic fight scenes and dynamic explosions the films provided. When we started dipping into psychological thrillers and sci-fi, Ebony really woke up and started to enjoy the marathon and Kai was right there beside her, bursting with joy at her enthusiasm.

Zane suggested Michael Bay's Transformers and James Cameron's Avatar to the line-up and it was then that we learned how much he appreciated the ingenuity of the creation of a sentient robotic race and that the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, was one of his role models. Avatar was stunningly gorgeous and Ayane was enthralled by the Na'vi especially Neytiri. Her exact words were, "I can't believe how similar the people of Shika are to the natives of Pandora…It's almost overwhelming." Jay enlightened us on how Avatar was one of the few movies that portrayed a deep ecological theme and a subtle environmental message and Zane schooled us further by adding that the director acknowledged that his masterpiece shared themes with Princess Mononoke, which featured clashes between cultures and civilizations, and with Dances with Wolves, where a battered soldier finds himself drawn to the culture he was initially fighting against. It was easily one of the most impressive movies of our queue and after that was finished, Nya wanted to watch her favorite genre of movie, romantic tear-jerkers. This produced a groan of dismay from the guys, but regardless they decided to stay with us and watch one. Insert The Notebook...huge mistake. By the end of it, I don't remember ever crying so hard in my life and I wasn't the only one. All of my sisters were shedding tears over the elderly couple that fell asleep and died in each other's arms. It was a happy ending, but it was still so sad at the same time and Ayane took it the hardest. She actually got up and left the room and Zane had followed her. We didn't see the two of them for the remainder of the evening and Ayane never showed up back at our room. The next day, we found out that she had spent the night with Zane and throughout most of the twilight hours, she cried in his arms.

The severe emotional content within the film got to each of us, but me, Nya and Ebony were fine and over it by dinner time. For Ayane to be so depressed for hours over a movie proves just how in tune she is with her emotions. A dangerous attribute for a kunoichi to have and we all knew it. All of my sisters are dear to me, but Ayane is the one I feel I have to watch over the most.

Ebony meets my gaze evenly. "No, she did not cry. Not a single tear…at least not in my presence." Her hands reach for another book before she chooses to tell us more. "You two remember her telling us about the Amaterasu festival, correct? Well, as it turns out Ayane had someone special to her before Zane."

This news definitely got me and Nya's attention as we glance at each other in intrigue, but we decided to stay silent and listen.

"It was when she was sixteen and she got involved with someone from her Hunting Pack. She told me his name was Itsuki Honda and she had been seeing him for over half a year. During the time they were together, she really liked him and maybe even loved him and since it was nearing the annual celebration, she thought she would ask him to escort her so they could participate in the Couples' Ceremony on the Day of Courtship. However, when she finally located Itsuki, he was engaged in a passionate kiss with another girl."

"WHAT!?" I roar in primal anger.

"A two-timing goat," Nya whispers with scorn.

I can't believe what I just heard! How could any guy choose to cheat on sweet ol' Ayane! How dare he?! He doesn't deserve to breed! I will remove him of his thick milk-squirter and if I find the jezebel he was with—

"Now before the both of you decide to declare war on these two, let me just say that the female participate, Leah, was innocent," Ebony states and flips a few pages of the current book she was searching through. Indignation still rushes through me like a tidal wave through my veins, but I clench my teeth and wait for her to explain.

"Evidently, she had no idea Ayane and Itsuki were together since the latter had failed to relinquish the information. Furthermore, she was not even an established resident of Shika, just a wounded wanderer that Itsuki took in and introduced to only a few people."

"Okay, putting the two cumquats on the backburner for now, what happened to our sister?" I question as calmly as possible and Ebony looks up from her book.

"What you'd expect, Ayane was devastated by what she had witnessed and immediately fled home. She said she told no one, but somehow her friend, Hansuke, found out and reported it to Daichi. Itsuki was soundly punished."

This made me smirk. "Was he put to death?"

"No."

I growl, "Then he wasn't punished enough!"

Ebony raises a hand, "Just listen. Ayane didn't go into much detail, but apparently he faced immediate and indefinite expulsion from the Hunting Pack and…detrimental injuries. As for the girl, she was apprehended and taken to Daichi for interrogation since Itsuki smuggled her in and didn't inform any of the higher ups. She was indeed innocent and had a very tragic past. Daichi pardoned her and now she is a permanent resident of Shika. She apologized to Ayane several times, but…the damage had been done. And now…her mind will not let go of the incident," she finishes and returns her eyes to the books.

Okay, what? Now, I'm confused and I'm sure it shows on my face. Fortunately, Nya speaks up.

"Whoa, wait a minute, Ebony. If Daichi took care of things then why is Ayane still hanging on to the memory?"

"Because she is Ayane," she answers simply.

I promptly face-palm. Argh! Dammit Ayane, don't tell me…

"Oh my…" Nya begins quietly, "Don't tell me she thinks—"

"She thinks history will repeat itself," Ebony clarifies swiftly and Nya and I both sigh. "Since that time, she secluded herself in her uncle's home during the Day of Courtship and cried. The damage done to her heart was very severe and now she is afraid if she goes to Zane with the intent to invite him to the festival…she will find him with another girl, so she refuses to. She doesn't want to lose him."

"Pffft! Who the hell is Zane going to be with?! The Ghost of Christmas Past!? There's nobody here who's single besides Lloyd! Need I say more!?" I explode in frustration.

Ebony continues on unperturbed by my shout and shoots me a hard glare, her one visible russet-garnet eye narrowed in warning. "There is a psychological barricade within her mind that doesn't allow her common sense to differentiate between probability and impracticality. I have read about this particular case of irrelevant paranoia before somewhere in one of these books. I just need to find it so I can help her cure herself. I only told you two because I didn't want either of you badgering her about when she's going to invite Zane."

I stand up and make my way to the door. "You can go ahead and look through your books, but I'm going to go take care of our sister. This is ridiculous!"

My hand turns the knob, but before I can fully open the door to step out, Ebony's fingerless gloved-hand slams it shut.

"You will not. I will not let you."

I turn to her sharply. "Let me?! Have you forgotten who you're talking to?! FYI, my only intention is to facilitate not badger!"

"Your only intention is to yell at her to follow your own logic. Sasha, you have limited compassion."

"Oh and you're just overflowing with it!? Miss I-can't-come-help-you-out-of-that-bear-trap-at-the-moment-because-I-have-fishsticks-in-the-oven!"

"What Ayane needs right now is a helping hand not a hand that's going to reach out and slap her in the face."

"How about I slap you in the face!?"

"Try and you'll end up with only one hand."

"Is that a challenge!?"

"No, it's a promise."

"Ladies, ladies, ladies, please calm down."

I can feel Nya's hand on my shoulder, but my only focus is on the angered chocolate-red iris of Ebony. Our brows touch squarely as we stare each other down. I don't care if she is half Agamemnon, I'll knock her ass out!

"Now, let's remember what the real predicament is, okay? We all have the same good intention which is to help Ayane, but…we are a team, right? If one sister goes to talk to Ayane then we all go and that's what we are going to do. Not now, not tonight, but on a day when tempers are not flared and we are not threatening to mutilate a fellow kunoichi, savvy? Water…Dark?"

The hand on my shoulder tugs at me to back away from my younger sister and I do so slowly whilst still making fierce eye contact.

"Yeah." I grumble.

"Hn." Ebony lets out.

"Right, okay. Ebony, Sasha and I are going to go back and look over those dresses and you can get back to doing your thing. I'll see ya in a little bit."

Ebony steps aside and returns to her bed without another glance or word towards either of us and Nya ushers me out the now open door. To say the least, I was pissed for the rest of the night.

(End Flashback…)


I haven't spoken to Ebony since last night and she's avoided looking in my direction or even coming within my vicinity so far today. Ayane can usually sense the slightest tension between friends, but if she's noticed then she haven't said or done anything to mediate the dispute like she usually would. Maybe because she knows she lies at the center and also because she knows her words would fall on deaf ears. After all, "Wind" is needed to placate "Water" and "Dark" not "Light". My anger towards Ebony has long since evaporated however, I just hate that she said I had "limited compassion".

I have a lot of compassion dammit! I just don't like stupid shit!

If I see a problem that is easily rectifiable then I take practical action and see to it that it's solved. I wasn't going to yell at Ayane…well not really. Okay, maybe that's one of the reasons why some people are intimidated by me, I have a strong voice and I am a bit tall, but I'm only trying to help not belittle and harass. I don't like nonsense AKA stupid shit and will take any logical means in order to get the job done. Now, I'm not saying Ebony's way wasn't logical only that it lacked the necessary forwardness. Bah! I can hear her low voice in my head now.

"What you may call "nonsensical" may make sense to the other person. You don't put yourself in another's perspective and try to see it from their angle, only your own."

Hah! I call bullshit! If that was the case then my way would lack common decency and I really would have "limited compassion". In the past, both my fellow peers at the Marty Oppenheimer and my friends back home have been gracious to me for helping them see reason. Some people even sought me out if they had a problem that needed fixing in a timing manner. I've been exposed to many different situations and I utilize my experience to help understand their plight. My intentions are pure and just, so why would I change and use a more unorthodox approach? It would be an insult not to mention a contradiction to my very being! Who do they think I am?! The Queen of the Looney Toons!

This is a simple problem with a simple remedy. There's no need for a complex intervention or whatever that involves all three of us to confront Ayane. She's forgiven Zane on her own and now she's dragging her feet on further progression and not letting go of the past. Well, I'm going to help her pick up the pace and stop procrastinating. I'm going to help her deal with her problem and give her the courage she needs to talk to Zane about the festival. I'll prove it to "Wind" and "Dark". "Water" can take care of "Light" on her own…as soon as my head stops hurting. Oww…

I settle my hand on my distraught friend's shoulder and he turns to me.

"Don't worry Zane she'll come to you soon," I reassure and he blinks.

"What are you going to do?"

"Hey, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Friends help each other out; I'll talk to Ayane and see what I can do."

He smiles. "I appreciate your aid, Sasha. Thank you."

I nod and look over his shoulder to see the Bounty come into view and even from a distance I can spot Ayane's bright blond head. As Nagendra nears the railings, Zane immediately leaps over and embraces his girlfriend. I shoulder the amorilla and take my time in rising to my feet. However, when I try to move to step over the chrome bars my visions swims and I buckle. Luckily, Zane and Ayane are both there to keep me balanced and help me over them.

Great…ugh…now my equilibrium is off.

I close my eyes and will the world to stop spinning then reopen them to see Ayane's worried face swirl into focus.

"Sasha! Don't worry, I'll heal you," she says and immediately her bright yellow locks transitions to brilliant white gold as her powers activate. Once her hands frame my face, the pain ebbs away to nothing and the cut along my cheek mends. I feel so much better.

"Thanks…Ayane," I breath and she grins.

"No problem."

Both her hands and Zane's leave my person, and I turn to beckon Nagendra closer in order to retrieve my Bo staff. I lean my head against her long snout lovingly.

"And thank you Nagendra. I'm so grateful to have such a reliable guardian," I say and she nuzzles back with a soft growl.

"It was nothing Master Sasha, I enjoyed the expedition. Now, I can only hope for your success pertaining to the earth ninja's birthday."

You and me both…

I pet her cheek and kiss her snout. "Get some rest, my friend." I then dispel her and in a burst of shimmering water, she disappears. I use my staff for leverage, not trusting my legs to work properly and massage my temples with my free hand.

"Sasha, um…is that what you've been searching for? It looks kinda…weird," Ayane asks, her mismatched eyes skeptical as she looks at the dangling fish corpse slung over my shoulder.

"Yep!" I admit happily, "This is Cole's birthday present or rather…" I readjust the amorilla so that she may see the head, "these are."

Ayane gasps and comes closer to expect the valuable fangs. "My word, these teeth are gorgeous!" She praises then peers up at me. "They will make a beautiful necklace for Cole. I know he'll love it!"

Pride swells up in my chest at my miraculous catch. I still can't believe I was successful, but I still require Zane's assistance.

I grin at my blond sister then face the white and black ninja. "Zane, if you don't mind I have another favor to ask of you."

"The amorilla, yes?" He replies, leave it to him to catch on so quick. "Of course, Sasha. Once the teeth are extracted I will send someone to deliver them to you as quickly as possible."

Ayane removes the lengthy black body from my shoulder and takes it over to Zane before returning to me.

"C'mon, let's get you to bed. Even though you're free of injury, you still look a little drained," she urges and takes my left arm to place it over her shoulder.

"Y-Yeah," I stutter, feeling my stomach tighten and cramp uncomfortably. For some reason I still feel a little sick and tired.

I'll talk to Ayane later. Right now, I've got to lie down and rest for awhile…ugh…right after I brush my teeth. Yuck!

(Cole's POV)

"Here it is! Voila!" Jay presents dramatically. Encased in an upright glass container is a single long stem red rose. "As was your request good sir, this flower has been modified with a potent aroma sleep-inducer. One good whiff of this baby and Sasha will be out cold for approximately seven hours."

"Seven hours. Great, that's perfect. Thanks, Jay," I say and take the container from his hands to inspect the rose within closer. The crimson petals sparkled with an unnatural beauty, but I doubt Sasha will take time to question the added feature only admire it.

I smile broadly. Everything is now set. All that remains is the execution of my plan tomorrow morning and hopefully the outcome will be my reconciliation with Sasha. Ayane had handed me Sasha's suitcase filled with some of her clothes and necessities a little while ago, enough for a three-day getaway. I had placed it in Kai's room beside my black duffel bag, so he can grab both of them quickly when the time comes. Nya plotted a course for the Bounty to automatically set sail and dock at Quatre Falls by 6 A.M. and from there it will take five hours and fifty-four minutes to reach Poseidonia according to my GPS. I don't want to burn daylight by taking the highway, so I'll be traversing the rugged terrain which my Tread Assault is perfectly equipped for.

Ebony helped me pick out gifts to send to Sasha's mother and little sister. They're supposed to be arriving today, I just hope they like them. I'm sorta nervous about that. I hope they don't think I'm trying to butter them up and get in good graces with them through presents. That's not it at all. I only want to make a good first impression. I've been keeping in contact with the Gracianos via PMS for weeks now without Sasha knowing. Both Ms. Graciano and Sophia know I'm in a relationship with her and have been anxious to meet me for months. The only problem is that I haven't received a callback from Ms. Graciano in regards to it being okay for Sasha and I to visit and stay for three days. I already told her about my plan and she confirmed it was okay for us to come last week, but…I just want to make sure she knows we'll be there tomorrow. Maybe I'm just jittery about meeting Sasha's family, but the last thing I want to do is show up out of the blue. Hopefully, she calls me tonight or tomorrow morning.

"Hey Lloyd, come here," I call out to him. He had just finished his training with Kai down in the Ninja Training Hall and wanted to relax and play video games before dinner. He presses the pause button to stop his game and walks over to Jay and me.

"Yeah?"

"This is the flower I want you to plant in the cabinet where Howard and Lilia's bag of barley is tonight after dinner. Make sure you're not spotted by Sasha and most importantly don't forget, okay?" I instruct and hand him the glass case.

He takes it delicately. "Don't worry about it, I got it." He says and suddenly eyes me up and down, "You really are pulling out all the stops for her, aren't ya?"

"You better believe I am," I reply and turn around to head for the door. "She's my mission objective, so I have to give this everything I have."

I have to give her everything I have.

I open the door, but before exiting I glance at Lloyd over my shoulder. "Keep it hidden until you're ready to plant it."

He nods and I leave the Game Room with Jay following behind me.

"The last one you need to check with is Zane, right?" He asks and I grin.

"Yeah, he and Sasha should be back by now, so I'll see if he's alone yet. I wonder if they were successful in their search."

Ebony appears from around the corner of the dining room and heads in our direction. I notice she is carrying a small black sack in her hand.

"Whaddup, Eb?" Jay calls in greeting and Ebony acknowledges the both of us with an elegant dip of her head.

"Jay, Cole," she says as she nears. She peers at me from the corner of her eye and I catch that ethereal smile of hers. "Tomorrow's the big day…best of luck to you Cole although your triumph is indubitably guaranteed."

I smile as she continues past us without stopping. I feel a modicum of confidence stir within me at her words. It's nice to know she thinks my plan will succeed.

"Hey Cole, do you smell something…*sniff*…fishy?" Jay suddenly asks and I give a sniff to the air as well.

"Yeah…" I say slowly and follow the smell to the kitchen. Passing through the double doors, I find Zane at the island in the center of the kitchen ever garbed in his frilly pink apron and Kai, fanning his hand in front of his face in hopes of minimizing the unusually strong stench of fish.

My eyes fall on the source of the odor, lying atop of the cutting board in front of Zane.

What the hell…?

"Hey," Jay starts and steps around me to approach the island, "what's with the goofy-lookin' fish? Don't tell me that's dinner?" He finishes while pointing at the elongated black corpse and Zane smiles, lifting his knife to sever the head in one stroke.

"Why yes Jay it is. This so happens to be the special entrée Sasha has been searching for," he states coolly. He then twirls the blade so that the blunt side is facing downward and commences to the run it rapidly up and down the fish's body to remove the scales.

"Wha…?" I gape and move closer so that I'm standing right next to Jay. Upon closer inspection, I deduce the black catch to be at least four feet long and very thick, but that severed head…sheesh…large beady white eyes and a crooked…toothless smile. This thing looks ludicrous! And now we have to eat it?

I lift my head to examine Zane with a dubious eyebrow raised. "Are you serious, man? Sasha's been searching over a week…for grandpa fish here?"

All three of my brothers laugh at my joke and Kai comes to stand on my right. "I never knew that such a fish existed," he chuckles and Jay reaches for the severed head.

"That is because it is rare and a supreme delicacy," Zane explains, keeping his sharp gaze trained on his chore. "The amorilla may look preposterous, but its meat has a delectable spiciness that makes seasoning unnecessary. We are having gumbo tonight, so prepare to be thoroughly satiated."

"Huh, I guess so," I sigh and shake my head. "Where's Sasha?" I ask next.

"She has taken to her chambers to freshen up and take a nap. She's most likely asleep by now," Zane answers without missing a beat.

Alright, I won't disturb her then…?

From my peripheral I see the head of the amorilla gradually rise, it's pallid dead eyes staring at me and Jay obviously at the helm of the whole charade. I could hear Kai snickering already.

Sigh…here we go…

"Cole~~~Cole~~~," Jay starts in a ghostly grandma voice, flapping the gummy jaws of the dead, "I have been looking all over for you for such a long time. For you see, I am your mother!"

Kai cracks up as I turn my head to face the amorilla. "Jay, I think I liked you better when you were on your deathbed," I jibe, but he carries on unimpeded.

"If you want proof just look at me…we look exactly alike! And look…" the head swivels to peer down at its long body, "we both love the color black!"

While Kai continues to laugh like a hyena on crack, I reach up and pinch the bridge of my nose.

Yeah, a few days away from these guys will be better for my overall health and sanity.

(Sasha's POV)

I'm startled awake by a sharp knocking at my door. I look around me and Ayane's room groggily with a loud yawn and slowly pull myself from my warm covers.

"I'm comin', hold up," I say and stretch my arms over my head. After Ayane escorted me to my room, I went straight to the bathroom to brush my teeth. It felt great to finally rid my mouth of that putrid odor and afterwards I decided to go ahead and take a quick shower as well to get the full affect of cleanliness. When I stripped and tossed my ninja garb into the dirty clothes hamper, Ayane came in and picked it up saying she would go ahead and wash a load and left our room entirely. Following my shower, I adorned something more casual to unwind in, a light aqua pair of track shorts and a snug black cami. I left my hair down and loose for some reason after I dried and combed through it. Then I lied down and reached under my pillow for Jay's small tape recorder, well I guess it's mine now since he let me have it, but I re-winded it and let it play from the very beginning as I always did. My new indulgence I delved in whenever I wanted to relax. Listening to Cole sing. As soon as he would begin, blood would rush to my cheeks then slowly but surely spread throughout my body, making my heart pound in yearning. His voice is too high to be a bass and too deep to be a soprano. No, his perfect pitch is indisputably alto. I snuggled myself under the covers and pressed the device close to my ear, so it would provide the accurate illusion of him whispering melodic words of love and adoration to me and only to me. Closing my eyes I let his voice become my lullaby, but before sleep claimed me I wondered if someday I would get to hear him live and in concert and I would be his only audience.

Ever since I've been listening to this before I go to sleep, I've haven't had one nightmare although, something tells me it's not the recording's doing.

Lord Leviathan, you are being awfully merciful as of late…Oh! This must be the person who's delivering the teeth! I should get started crafting the necklace right away!

When I open the door, the last person I thought who would want to see me was standing in front of me.

"Ebony…"

She holds out a little black sack for me to take which I do.

"I'm a courier, remember?" She says and I manage a small grin. "Zane wanted me to inform you that he already cleaned and sanitized them thoroughly. All that's left is up to your craftsmanship."

"Thanks, Ebony…" I say and she turns to leave, but I stop her. "Wait, can you come in for a sec? I want to talk to you."

Ebony turns back around and holds my gaze for a moment before stepping inside. I close the door behind her. I clear my throat and peek inside the sack to check out how many teeth I've got to work with.

Twelve, perfect. With the size of the chain I have they'll be able to circle it completely.

I glance back up at Ebony to meet her gaze once more. Her face matches Zane's in its stoicism and her one visible russet garnet eye stares at me nonchalantly.

I have to ask, "Are you still angry about last night?"

She releases a heavy sigh. "No, I've had time to think and…*sigh* Listen, I was more upset with Ayane's predicament than at you, but regardless it came out that way. I'm sorry. Only, I don't want to see Ayane in any more pain than she already is. I want to help her and I want to do it in a way that lacks stress."

"And my way is stressful? I have compassion Ebony and I want to help our sister just as much as you do," I counter and walk the small distance back to my bed. I sit down and open the drawer of my nightstand to retrieve my work kit and the rectangular-shaped leather box that housed the platinum necklace I bought for Cole.

"I know you do, however given Ayane's personality and character, yes your way is stressful, Sasha," she replies and I frown.

"Did you find the answer in your books?"

"No…" she breathes regrettably and takes a seat on Ayane's bed. "I thought I could and I searched all night, but the cure eludes me."

"Then the next step would be-?" I press and spread the teeth out on my bed and gather twelve silver caps. The fangs are much too sharp and I don't want them pricking his skin, so I'll have to blunt them.

She shrugs. "We do things Nya's way I suppose."

I take my toughest metal filer and begin to dull the first fang. Thankfully, the crusted diamond shards plague the widened top half and not the lower point. Ivory isn't too tough to chisel, but I still have to use sufficient force to shape the point into a smooth curve.

"And what exactly is Nya's way besides the three of us gathering to confront Ayane?" I ask.

The door suddenly opens and Nya herself steps through wearing a delighted and knowing grin.

"My way is the most tender and non-philosophical approach which will prove to be the most effective when dealing with our lovable sister."

She closes the door with the back of her foot and continues with the same sure grin. "To tell the truth, I'm surprised at you Sasha. The two of us have dealt with an emotionally distraught Ayane before, remember?"

I pause in my filing and try to think back, that's when it hits me. The incident when Zane revealed himself to be an android to Ayane and the miserable state she was in when Nya and I found her. I remember how gentle I was with her, rubbing comforting circles on her back while Nya stroked her hair. I treated her as if she was a blood relative…the same way I would treat Sophia whenever she was upset. When I began to prod her with logic and reason about her feelings for Zane, it was Nya who enlightened me to try a much more…prolific approach by letting Ayane accrue her emotions and reach a decision herself.

I look over at Nya then back down at my work. I feel slightly ashamed that I forgot something so crucial.

"Yes, I remember…now," I admit quietly and Nya hums, clearly satisfied.

"Ebony, we go to her as her sisters. Nothing more and nothing less, we simply give her the care and understanding she needs and let her reflect on how her past greatly differs from the present. Zane is with her now, not Itsuki and she knows in her heart that he would never cheat on her. His love for her is much too great. And we all know Ayane's modesty is astounding, she doesn't realize just how much she's grown and improved. But, I bet when she sets foot back home everyone is going to see it. Maybe even the two-timing goat!" She finishes with a laugh and Ebony and I join her.

My soul seems a bit at peace now that we have an appropriate course of action. It troubles me when I see Ayane's tears of sorrow, the anger I feel manifests into a desperate need to correct her problems. I think she is figuratively like the sun. For when she smiles and laughs, her warmth and good nature spreads so that everyone can feel it, but when her cheeriness disappears and gloom takes it place. It causes discord and anxiety for the surrounding populace.

Shine…yeah…she's our sister of the sun.

"When shall we have the intervention?" Ebony questions and I answer her, finishing another tooth and picking up another.

"How about tonight after dinner? We can corner her here afterwards. The festival starts in a matter of weeks, so let's not doddle."

"Agreed," Nya chimes in with enthusiasm, but suddenly her voice curves into a thoughtful undertone. "I wonder though…if we were this upset about learning of Ayane's past…how do you think Zane will react? That is if Ayane chooses to tell him."

Good question…

"Let's not speculate about the unknown, we should concentrate on the mental stability of Ayane first. If the outcome leads to her revealing her past heartbreak to Zane then that occurrence will be between them alone," Ebony states and Nya and I agree not to get involved with the two about that certain matter.

I finish dulling the final fang and set it down with the others.

I'll have Cole's present completed by the end of tonight, I then smirk deviously as my mind settles on the lowlife that hurt Ayane. Itsuki…hehehe…you better hope Zane doesn't come for you, but if he does…you'll receive far worse than detrimental injuries. It will be a cold day in hell for you.